BVA plans theater-in-the-park show
By CHRISTINE HAINES
chaines@yourmvi.com
Grab a lawn chair or a blanket and head to James Weir Stadium this week for a theater-in-the-park experience for this year’s Belle Vernon Area High School musical.
“The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” takes the stage at 8 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday.
“The show was actually on Broadway for three years. It was nominated for three Tony awards. It’s not usually a show done by high schools because it’s a small cast, only 12 roles,” said director Michael Rozell.
The small cast size made it perfect for a pandemic year and by double-casting the show, Rozell was able to showcase more student talent. One cast will perform the show Wednesday and Friday, the other will take the stage Thursday and Saturday.
“It was a smart choice for this year because we couldn’t have 80 kids on stage,” Rozell said.
Not knowing what indoor restrictions would be in place when the show opened, Rozell decided to take a leap of faith and rented a stage to move the show outdoors to the football stadium.
“The stage is not going to face the bleachers, it’s going to be in the end zone facing the other end zone. We want people to bring lawn chairs and blankets so it will be like theater in the park,” Rozell said.
Another attractive feature of performing “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” is its minimalist set.
“If it rains, the set is incredibly easy to transport, so we can move it indoors and there will be limited seating,” Rozell said.
All tickets will be sold at the gate (or door) only to avoid any issues that would require refunds in the event of rain. The musical comedy is being performed without an intermission.
“It’s a one-act, so it starts around 8 p.m. and will end by 9:30,” he said. “There will be pre-chosen volunteers who will be on stage as spellers. We’re using faculty and staff because they have been vaccinated. Most of the cast has been vaccinated also.”
Rozell said the show is incredibly funny, with each cast member bringing his or her character’s quirkiness to life.
“They all play middle school students in a spelling bee. Their characters are all very unique. One girl spells every word in the air before she spells. Each of their characters is very, very serious, which is what makes it so funny,” Rozell said. “It’s a difficult show in that in a larger show you may have 15 sopranos on a part. In this show, there is one, so they have to create the harmonies.”
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